The Buzz About Bee Cottage

If you don’t already know about it let me give you the buzz about Bee Cottage…

I eagerly awaited the arrival of Frances Schultz’s book The Bee Cottage Story and the day it arrived I immediately set about to devour it from cover to cover…

I had long been a fan of Frances’ from having read her series in House Beautiful documenting the makeover of her Hamptons house, Bee Cottage. Thankfully the series led to the writing of the book that Schultz describes as “how I made a muddle of things and decorated my way back to happiness.”

I was pleasantly surprised by the intimacy of the way she relates her life story to the unfolding decoration of her beloved cottage. Each step of the way her life events are woven through the decisions she makes as Bee Cottage undergoes its own transformation.

The 1920s East Hampton stucco cottage had been well loved by its former owners who “had done nothing to dampen its cheerful and cozy spirit.” Schultz’s first decision to keep the cottage intact and preserved as it was is one that I applaud wholeheartedly!

In fact, a quote that opens the book conveys her feeling quite succinctly…

bee still my heart!

In the book she shares before and after photos which I just pore over!

Here are some of the afters as they appeared in House Beautiful…

Schultz says she is definitely a green person which is probably part of the reason I so relate to her!

The Garden Room brings the point home…

Our first house had a galley kitchen and I still have a fondness for that…

Butler’s Pantry is a dream come true…

study/guest room – perfection…

outdoor furniture acquired at a Richard Keith Langham tag sale…

hmm, I’m not seeing this at any tag sales here!

Her garden is glorious and I love the pool…

The dining room table at Bee Cottage is placed off center to increase the space for a walkway – umm, same here OPP – let’s just say that I too have a dark blue high gloss bedroom upstairs and so the similarities continue…

Her particular hue of blue is calling my name so I’ll be at the paint store securing some Benjamin Moore Galapagos Turquoise and I’ll let you know what happens with that…

Oh my goodness!
Thank you thank you thank you for this wonderful review on your beautiful blog. I am honored and humbled, but most of all I am so happy that my little book has brought you joy. Congratulations on your own good work here On Pinehurst Place. I look forward to reading you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Frances

Oh my goodness, thanks so much for stopping by OPP! I have been a longtime fan of yours and I adore the book. It’s getting a second read right now and I know I’ll pick up many more jewels along the way. I am so honored and humbled for you to have dropped in on me!